Former UTC star Hodge earns Web.com Tour card

LAQUINTA, Calif. — Former UTC star Jonathan Hodge shot his fifth consecutive under par score at the PGA Tour qualifying school on Monday and finished tied for 73rd, good enough to earn Web.com Tour playing privileges for 2013.

Hodge shot a 2-under-par 70 at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament course and finished the grueling, 108-hole Q-School in 10 under par. After opening with a 75 at the Nicklaus course, Hodge followed with a pair of 69s on the PGA West Stadium Course, another 69 at the Nicklaus course and a 70 at PGA West.

Twenty-five players, led by Dong-hwan Lee, who shot 25 under for six rounds, earned their PGA Tour cards. The next 50 were awarded Web.Com Tour cards.

“That’s fantastic for Jonathan,” said UTC golf coach Mark Guhne. “He’s always been a hard worker. He’s worked his rear end off and made progress every year. It’s a process for 99 percent of the guys who get out there. This is another step for him. He’s a great kid and of course a very good player.

“He’s the prime example of a young man who has a goal and works hard toward it every day. He keeps his head down and keeps striving until he reaches it. He’s made another step toward his final goal (the PGA Tour). It’s great to see. I couldn’t be any more proud of him and pleased for him.

“I think he’ll do real well out there. He grinds it out every week and doesn’t make many mistakes. I think (the Web.com Tour) will set up pretty well for him.”

Another former UTC player, Stephan Jaeger, wasn’t as fortunate. He finished tied for 162nd, just two spots from the bottom, despite a 68 on Monday. He was 7 over par for the tournament.

“Jaeger’s a tough kid,” Guhne said. “You might knock him down, but he won’t stay down but for just a second. If anything, this will just motivate him more. When he has a setback, he just comes out fighting that much harder next time. There are a lot of great things still to come from Stephan Jaeger.”